Who knew hiccups could be so debilitating? Walking, standing, sitting, reclining, lying down, home remedies, drinking water, slow breathing, holding my breath – nothing helped! At the worst of it, my entire body would convulse several times with each hiccup. It was no fun! But what was worse was what it did to my brain. As far as I know, I’ve never had a panic attack, but that seems like a good way to describe what the hiccups did. During some fits I felt like I just couldn’t get enough air. And then eventually it felt as though each one would make me vomit. And there just didn’t seem to be anything that would allow my brain to settle. It felt so very psychosomatic, and yet I seemed helpless to fight it. Great news: I never vomited and they eventually passed! J
That was Thursday. Yesterday was calmer, but the nausea has arrived. My energy level was very low – too low to send out an update. Today (so far) I’m feeling a little better, though still somewhat nauseous.
In the mean time, we managed to lease a car (Toyota Camry, in case you care) to replace the Acura, and Brodie made the main AAA hockey camp (not the team yet – that’s still to come) he’d been trying out for. Life is good!
Brad.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Quick Chemo Update
Well, this may well be premature, and I may regret sending
this soon, but… so far the only side effects I’ve experienced from the chemo
are “chemo hiccups”. The one article I read on the web said those are a
not uncommon side effect of one of the anti-nausea drugs. The nice thing
is that it also said that “people who suffer from chemo hiccups are much less
likely to suffer from nausea and vomiting”, so I’m optimistic. J
I’ll also give you a bit of an update of the chemo treatment
itself. The appointment was at 2:15, and started with some cleaning of
the port – removing bandages, etc. That wasn’t particularly fun, since
the port still causes me pain and this was a bit rough. However, it was
bearable. The thing that took me a bit by surprise was when the needle
went into the port. That was excruciating! Sue gave me her hand to
squeeze and I had to control myself not to break it! I felt cold sweat
all over my body and nearly climbed the wall! They said the first time
was worst, and I certainly hope that’s true. They also mentioned some
cream to apply for next time that might help.
After the pain from the jab subsided, which took maybe 5-10
minutes, the rest was very uneventful. I sat there for about three hours
letting the fluid drain into my system. Pastor Jim dropped by and I had a
nice visit with him. Next time I may bring my laptop as well, since I
could probably get a bit of work done if I were so inclined.
They sent me home with a bag attached the port (hanging on
my belt) with more drugs that drain into my system for the following two days
(it gets detached Wednesday afternoon). I don’t notice it much, really –
it’s not that big of an inconvenience.
For a less-than-flattering picture, feel free to take a look
at http://pletts.elegantlogic.com/Photos/ShowPhoto.aspx?Folder=2013_08_26_01&Photo=WP_20130826_001.jpg.
Next time I’ll wear a button-up shirt!
That’s about all for now.
Brad.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Oncologist Visit
I’m a little slow with this update, but as my Mom used to
say: better late than never. Yes, I think of my parents a fair bit
these days, perhaps because I look forward to joining them someday, and lately
that “someday” seems just a little closer. J
I did have my oncologist meeting on Friday. The meeting went well, and we learned two important things: 1) I am a surgery candidate (as we’d already suspected, but this was confirmation – and good news :-), assuming a scan after the first three months of chemo still suggest it’s worth it, and 2) my outlook is not as simple (and perhaps not quite as bleak) as my earlier email suggested. I thought I had heard that I had a 20% chance of making it beyond five years. However, it’s a bit more complicated than that. The oncologist reiterated that with no treatment the median life expectancy is one year, and with only chemo it’s two years. However, with surgery, the more accurate picture is that in 80% of cases the cancer returns within five years. If/when it does, the clock kinda resets and they may still be able to attack it further with more chemo and/or surgery. In fact, the doctor said that in “men as young as I am”, they can sometimes cherry-pick the liver for a while. I’m not sure exactly what “cherry-pick” means in this case, but I assume he meant cut off cancerous stuff as it appears (i.e. multiple surgeries). It sounds like each round would be decreasingly effective, but still might add a bit of time to the clock. Oh and yes, he referred to me as young. J I’ve generally felt young and healthy for my entire life, but I admit I’ve been feeling significantly older with all this going on (and with how slowly/gingerly I move these days due to my multiple wounds)! So, generally that was all good news.
Additionally, he was pleased with the way my surgery was healing up, and with the way the port was healing. The port news wasn’t quite as positive, though. I guess they won’t be using it for everything as I’d understood. It is used only for the chemo drugs, not for blood work. That means that when they draw blood every two weeks, they still poke me. Those of you that know my problems with needles (both that I don’t enjoy them and that medical people often have trouble finding my veins) will understand that was a bit of a disappointment, but really pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. It did, however, give me a little pause just because the port has caused me almost as much pain and discomfort as the surgery did! Well, that’s not accurate since the surgery was a lot more painful initially, but the port pain and discomfort just seems to be sticking around longer than I expected. I wondered at one point whether the port will be worth it in the end, given the pain and discomfort, but I’m sure it still will be.
One other thing I learned is that the liver surgery is likely to be roughly as invasive as the colon surgery, so that won’t be fun. Still, I’ll take things as they come, one day at a time.
Anyway, I want to leave you with another passage of scripture, possibly slightly out of context, but still very relevant:
Tomorrow (well having looked at the clock, I guess “today”, but after a sleep :-) it’s off to chemo. That appointment is at 2:15 PM. They say I should expect to be there 2.5-3 hours, and that I’ll be going home with a bottle attached to my port that they remove two days later. The big bummer is it will force me to miss one of Brodie’s hockey tryouts, but oh, well, perhaps it will keep me alive to watch even more hockey in the future!
Brad.
I did have my oncologist meeting on Friday. The meeting went well, and we learned two important things: 1) I am a surgery candidate (as we’d already suspected, but this was confirmation – and good news :-), assuming a scan after the first three months of chemo still suggest it’s worth it, and 2) my outlook is not as simple (and perhaps not quite as bleak) as my earlier email suggested. I thought I had heard that I had a 20% chance of making it beyond five years. However, it’s a bit more complicated than that. The oncologist reiterated that with no treatment the median life expectancy is one year, and with only chemo it’s two years. However, with surgery, the more accurate picture is that in 80% of cases the cancer returns within five years. If/when it does, the clock kinda resets and they may still be able to attack it further with more chemo and/or surgery. In fact, the doctor said that in “men as young as I am”, they can sometimes cherry-pick the liver for a while. I’m not sure exactly what “cherry-pick” means in this case, but I assume he meant cut off cancerous stuff as it appears (i.e. multiple surgeries). It sounds like each round would be decreasingly effective, but still might add a bit of time to the clock. Oh and yes, he referred to me as young. J I’ve generally felt young and healthy for my entire life, but I admit I’ve been feeling significantly older with all this going on (and with how slowly/gingerly I move these days due to my multiple wounds)! So, generally that was all good news.
Additionally, he was pleased with the way my surgery was healing up, and with the way the port was healing. The port news wasn’t quite as positive, though. I guess they won’t be using it for everything as I’d understood. It is used only for the chemo drugs, not for blood work. That means that when they draw blood every two weeks, they still poke me. Those of you that know my problems with needles (both that I don’t enjoy them and that medical people often have trouble finding my veins) will understand that was a bit of a disappointment, but really pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. It did, however, give me a little pause just because the port has caused me almost as much pain and discomfort as the surgery did! Well, that’s not accurate since the surgery was a lot more painful initially, but the port pain and discomfort just seems to be sticking around longer than I expected. I wondered at one point whether the port will be worth it in the end, given the pain and discomfort, but I’m sure it still will be.
One other thing I learned is that the liver surgery is likely to be roughly as invasive as the colon surgery, so that won’t be fun. Still, I’ll take things as they come, one day at a time.
Anyway, I want to leave you with another passage of scripture, possibly slightly out of context, but still very relevant:
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we
are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light
and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs
them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since
what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
I really encourage you to take a look at what follows that
in chapter
5, but if I started pasting that in here, I’d have trouble knowing where to
stop!Tomorrow (well having looked at the clock, I guess “today”, but after a sleep :-) it’s off to chemo. That appointment is at 2:15 PM. They say I should expect to be there 2.5-3 hours, and that I’ll be going home with a bottle attached to my port that they remove two days later. The big bummer is it will force me to miss one of Brodie’s hockey tryouts, but oh, well, perhaps it will keep me alive to watch even more hockey in the future!
Brad.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Quick Update
So I got my port put in today (a picture of it, still covered in dressing, is at http://pletts.elegantlogic.com/Photos/ShowPhoto.aspx?Folder=2013_08_20_01&Photo=WP_20130820_003.jpg), and the next event is another meeting with the oncologist on Friday.
I haven’t heard if I’m actually a surgery candidate yet, but I do have a consultation with a liver surgeon on September 4, which would seem to suggest it’s likely – I just don’t want to read too much into it.
Anyway, thanks again for all your prayers, thoughts, and concerns!
Brad.
P.S. This has nothing to do with me nor my health per se, but it was shared with me this week, and I enjoyed it so much I thought I should pass it along:
http://www.godvine.com/Christian-Painter-Creates-a-Holy-Image-That-ll-Leave-You-in-Awe-Check-It-Out-3788.html
I haven’t heard if I’m actually a surgery candidate yet, but I do have a consultation with a liver surgeon on September 4, which would seem to suggest it’s likely – I just don’t want to read too much into it.
Anyway, thanks again for all your prayers, thoughts, and concerns!
Brad.
P.S. This has nothing to do with me nor my health per se, but it was shared with me this week, and I enjoyed it so much I thought I should pass it along:
http://www.godvine.com/Christian-Painter-Creates-a-Holy-Image-That-ll-Leave-You-in-Awe-Check-It-Out-3788.html
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
No Sugar Coating
It appears God intends to test our faith, either in how He
heals me or in how He provides for Sue and the kids.
We met with the oncologist Dr. Monzon today, and he informed us that the cancer had definitely spread to the liver, and maybe even the lungs. He went on to say that as recently as seven years ago, that was an automatic death sentence. Now, however, there was some (if limited) hope. I think I’m summarizing correctly when I say that with no treatment, I have approximately a year, and with straight chemo-therapy I may have two. However, if I’m a candidate for surgery, there is a 20% chance (maybe even 20-40% chance, depending on whom you quote) of being cancer-free in five years. Yes, if you do the math, it means about an 80% chance of being gone in 5 years. The oncologist will be speaking to the surgeons over the next few days to decide if I’m a good candidate for surgery. They make an evaluation now. Assuming I am a candidate, there is a slim chance they’ll want to do the surgery immediately. More likely they’ll do 3 months of chemo, do another evaluation and, if it still makes sense, do the surgery, followed by another 3 months of chemo.
So, it looks like the following is the most likely scenario for my immediate future:
Brad.
We met with the oncologist Dr. Monzon today, and he informed us that the cancer had definitely spread to the liver, and maybe even the lungs. He went on to say that as recently as seven years ago, that was an automatic death sentence. Now, however, there was some (if limited) hope. I think I’m summarizing correctly when I say that with no treatment, I have approximately a year, and with straight chemo-therapy I may have two. However, if I’m a candidate for surgery, there is a 20% chance (maybe even 20-40% chance, depending on whom you quote) of being cancer-free in five years. Yes, if you do the math, it means about an 80% chance of being gone in 5 years. The oncologist will be speaking to the surgeons over the next few days to decide if I’m a good candidate for surgery. They make an evaluation now. Assuming I am a candidate, there is a slim chance they’ll want to do the surgery immediately. More likely they’ll do 3 months of chemo, do another evaluation and, if it still makes sense, do the surgery, followed by another 3 months of chemo.
So, it looks like the following is the most likely scenario for my immediate future:
- August 19 – chemo class
- August 20-22 (somewhere in there) – have a port inserted (a “Port-a-Cath, which is different from a “PIC line” for you medical junkies J)
- August 23 – another appointment with the oncologist
- August 26 – start chemo
Brad.
Thursday, August 08, 2013
Tuesday, August 06, 2013
Goodbye staples!
Hi folks! Not a lot to report today. Recovery
from the surgery is coming along (including a nice drive to the mountains with
my sister yesterday), and I got the staples out this morning (all 39 of
them!). I’m hoping to be able to start working from home again bit by
bit, hopefully starting tomorrow.
I guess now the focus will begin to shift from removing the
tumour and recovering from that surgery to the reality of cancer. The
next event on that schedule is a meeting at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre on
August 13.
Brad.
P.S. I’ve begun chronicling this journey on a blog
just so that as I add people to the email list, I don’t have to send extra
emails or include all the history in each email. You can find that at http://pletzky.blogspot.ca/, but don’t
worry – I expect to keep sending email updates. The blog will just
contain copies. J
Thursday, August 01, 2013
Yay, I'm home!
It was an unexpected delight this morning to hear the doctor
say I was being released today. I’m still very dopey and groggy, but I’m
writing this from the comfort of my own home. Yes, I’m now sitting in my
office, having been chauffeured home by my lovely wife and served chicken soup
by my lovely daughter! Life is good! J
Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers!
I’ll be getting the staples out sometime early next week.
So, the pathology report has already returned, and confirmed
it was cancer. I’m not good enough with the medical details to provide
very specific information, but the tumor was between 4 and 5 cm in any
direction (i.e. maximum diameter was less than 5cm). There has been some spreading, though it sound like not a lot (1 of the 18 lymph nodes removed with the metre-long section of colon contained cancer cells). I’ve been referred to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, which is where I’ll be going when I’ve recovered from surgery a little more.
I was thinking of putting a picture of the incision with this email, but Sue thought that might not be the greatest – not everyone would want to see it. So, if you ARE interested, you can see it here: http://pletts.elegantlogic.com/Photos/ShowPhoto.aspx?Folder=2013_08_01_01&Photo=WP_20130801_002.jpg
I was thinking of putting a picture of the incision with this email, but Sue thought that might not be the greatest – not everyone would want to see it. So, if you ARE interested, you can see it here: http://pletts.elegantlogic.com/Photos/ShowPhoto.aspx?Folder=2013_08_01_01&Photo=WP_20130801_002.jpg
Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers!
Brad.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Hey folks! I'm still alive!
(Brad dictating, Sue typing)
As Sue may have mentioned, the surgery was worse than expected, but every day I'm getting better. I had a lot of pain on Saturday but since then it's been very manageable. It's relatively easy for me to get out of bed and walk around. I assume though, that I'd have a lot of trouble getting through a metal detector. The number of staples in my belly is ridiculous.
At this point, the next step is simply passing gas, which I have not been able to do. They say walking should help, which is why I keep trying to walk, although I'm in a very lethargic state so that's not always easy. They say it could happen any time. It sounds like I'd likely get out of the hospital about two days after I manage to fart.
We don't have the lab results from the three foot section of colon that was sent away yet, and it sounds like the CT scan is somewhat inconclusive so it's unclear at this point whether or not there will be chemo, however, I am being referred to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre for follow-up, and the initial appointment should be within two weeks of my being released from the hospital. As the only doctor we have spoken to is a colorectal, who doesn't treat liver cancer, he can't really give us much for answers.
Love you all, and covet your prayers. Thank you for the outpouring of support we have already been blessed with.
My own prayer continues to be that "I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24
Brad.
As Sue may have mentioned, the surgery was worse than expected, but every day I'm getting better. I had a lot of pain on Saturday but since then it's been very manageable. It's relatively easy for me to get out of bed and walk around. I assume though, that I'd have a lot of trouble getting through a metal detector. The number of staples in my belly is ridiculous.
At this point, the next step is simply passing gas, which I have not been able to do. They say walking should help, which is why I keep trying to walk, although I'm in a very lethargic state so that's not always easy. They say it could happen any time. It sounds like I'd likely get out of the hospital about two days after I manage to fart.
We don't have the lab results from the three foot section of colon that was sent away yet, and it sounds like the CT scan is somewhat inconclusive so it's unclear at this point whether or not there will be chemo, however, I am being referred to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre for follow-up, and the initial appointment should be within two weeks of my being released from the hospital. As the only doctor we have spoken to is a colorectal, who doesn't treat liver cancer, he can't really give us much for answers.
Love you all, and covet your prayers. Thank you for the outpouring of support we have already been blessed with.
My own prayer continues to be that "I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." Acts 20:24
Brad.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
The day after the day after
So this is Sue typing. I’m assuming I know at least
some of you. You will no doubt notice that I have not been able to reach
quite the same level of “well isn’t this an interesting new adventure” in my
attitude to this journey as my marvelously pragmatic husband has.
Brad’s surgery was Friday, early early in the morning, and it ended up being a long, hard day for all of us. Although the surgeon was hoping to do the surgery laparascopically (that’s maybe not the real word. I can’t do any better than that.), that approach didn’t work, and so Brad ended up with a rather long vertical abdominal incision, in addition to the three lapar. . incisions. Apparently much of the colon was removed, although the tumour was “average size.”
Brad spent several hours in recovery while they attempted to get his breathing stabilized, so even though he left for the OR at 7:45 am, we didn’t see him again until almost 5 pm. I cannot begin to express the depth of relief I felt when I was finally to touch him again.
Today he had a peaceful day – he is getting enough painkiller for the pain to be manageable, but he was very groggy. He did get up and go for a walk at least twice, and he spent a lot of time thanking nurses for being nice to him. One small praise from today – he ripped his IV out in his sleep, but a) I noticed it almost immediately and b) he came out of the OR with two IV lines in, so they simply switched his medication to the second, now unused line. As it can be very difficult to find a vein (his tend to shrink away from needles) to put an IV into, it was a blessing that he did not have to go through that ordeal this afternoon.
The challenging news is that the CT scan he had done on Monday showed spots on his liver. Although spots on the liver are not necessarily cancer, the surgeon said that they looked like cancer that has spread from the bowel. We will know more when the lab results come back from the portion of colon that was sent away yesterday, but it looks like chemotherapy will be a part of Brad’s not too distant future. He needs to recover from the surgery first, however, so now you all know how to pray J
The verses that have been running through my head today are “Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” (Lamentations 3:21-23)
Thank you all for caring.
Susan
Brad’s surgery was Friday, early early in the morning, and it ended up being a long, hard day for all of us. Although the surgeon was hoping to do the surgery laparascopically (that’s maybe not the real word. I can’t do any better than that.), that approach didn’t work, and so Brad ended up with a rather long vertical abdominal incision, in addition to the three lapar. . incisions. Apparently much of the colon was removed, although the tumour was “average size.”
Brad spent several hours in recovery while they attempted to get his breathing stabilized, so even though he left for the OR at 7:45 am, we didn’t see him again until almost 5 pm. I cannot begin to express the depth of relief I felt when I was finally to touch him again.
Today he had a peaceful day – he is getting enough painkiller for the pain to be manageable, but he was very groggy. He did get up and go for a walk at least twice, and he spent a lot of time thanking nurses for being nice to him. One small praise from today – he ripped his IV out in his sleep, but a) I noticed it almost immediately and b) he came out of the OR with two IV lines in, so they simply switched his medication to the second, now unused line. As it can be very difficult to find a vein (his tend to shrink away from needles) to put an IV into, it was a blessing that he did not have to go through that ordeal this afternoon.
The challenging news is that the CT scan he had done on Monday showed spots on his liver. Although spots on the liver are not necessarily cancer, the surgeon said that they looked like cancer that has spread from the bowel. We will know more when the lab results come back from the portion of colon that was sent away yesterday, but it looks like chemotherapy will be a part of Brad’s not too distant future. He needs to recover from the surgery first, however, so now you all know how to pray J
The verses that have been running through my head today are “Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.” (Lamentations 3:21-23)
Thank you all for caring.
Susan
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
RE: Yep, I'm mortal! (2)
CT scan Wednesday morning at
9:00 AM, ECG Thursday morning at 9:00 AM, both in prep for Friday’s
surgery. J
Brad.
Brad.
Monday, July 15, 2013
RE: Yep, I'm mortal!
Thank-you all for your prayers,
thoughts, and emails during this time!
OK, here are a few more details, as well as the latest news. Some of you asked why I had the colonoscopy in the first place. Well, approximately two years ago I went in for a routine physical. At the time, the doctor said “well, you’re 50 – you should get a colon screening”. She made the referral and I promptly forgot all about it. Sometime after Christmas I began to experience some abdominal discomfort/pain. To some degree I was like a frog in water, though. It started very subtly, and even now isn’t particularly bad. It’s not a strong pain – more discomfort. However, my stool also started looking darker and became a bit more irregular. The really weird thing is that it has gotten so that it’s difficult to tell whether I need to have a bowel movement, need to urinate, or am simply hungry. Those three feelings are becoming somewhat difficult to differentiate between. Then one day I got a call from the colon screening centre. They told me my appointment was coming up. Apparently the queue for routine screening is nearly two years long! For me it felt like God was in the timing.
When the time for the colonoscopy arrived, they gave me a choice about whether or not to be sedated. If I took the sedation, I’d be “legally impaired” for twenty-four hours. Since I was headed to Toronto that night and would need to drive a car, I chose to go without the sedation. I’m glad I did, because the pain/discomfort wasn’t that serious (in fact, it wasn’t as bad as the stuff I had to drink beforehand!) and I wouldn’t have heard the doctor talking to me as he proceeded. When he saw it, he said something to the effect of “yep, there’s the cancer. Looks like it’s been there a while.” Also, it was bleeding and there was enough obstruction that he couldn’t continue further down my colon. Given that we’d already been told that “early detection is key”, and that the doctor said “it’s been there a while”, and the fact that it was bleeding, and the fact that I’d had some abdominal discomfort already, we took away the impression that this was, indeed, very serious. However, it was all speculative, so I didn’t include it in the previous email – I wanted more details before I began inviting people to my funeral. J
I met with a surgeon today and he seemed quite calm about the whole thing. This is not to say it’s not serious, but he certainly gave the impression it wasn’t the death sentence we thought. In fact, the way he talked he made it sound like it might be nothing more than surgery – an oncologist might not even need to get involved. The bottom line, really, is that we’ll take it one step at a time. So, here are the next few steps.
Some of you have asked about how I’m doing/feeling. The truth is that, whereas I continue to have some abdominal discomfort, it’s not that serious – after all, I can still play hockey! J The worst symptom I’ve experienced so far is a decrease in energy and an increase in the sleep I seem to need. My appetite has gone down, too, but not precipitously. So far I haven’t lost any weight (I keep hoping, but… J). Psychologically I think I’m in a very good place, and I attribute that to God gifting me with a generally positive, optimistic view of life.
OK, I think that’s about it. I think I’ve provided pretty much as much information as I have, but if you have questions, let me know and I’ll respond as best I can.
Thanks again!
Brad.
P.S. (for those who share my faith): God is good! It has touched me how much prayer support I’ve been receiving during this time. In fact, I’ve been saying that if it went by quantity, I’d already be healed! J It is great to know that the Great Physician is guiding the physicians here, and if all else fails, has a place prepared for me! That certainly doesn’t mean I’ll give up the fight down here – I certainly want to grow old with Sue and watch my kids grow up, but the thought of meeting my Redeemer and reuniting with my parents isn’t exactly a bad one either. I simply have to quote Philippians 1:18b-26:
OK, here are a few more details, as well as the latest news. Some of you asked why I had the colonoscopy in the first place. Well, approximately two years ago I went in for a routine physical. At the time, the doctor said “well, you’re 50 – you should get a colon screening”. She made the referral and I promptly forgot all about it. Sometime after Christmas I began to experience some abdominal discomfort/pain. To some degree I was like a frog in water, though. It started very subtly, and even now isn’t particularly bad. It’s not a strong pain – more discomfort. However, my stool also started looking darker and became a bit more irregular. The really weird thing is that it has gotten so that it’s difficult to tell whether I need to have a bowel movement, need to urinate, or am simply hungry. Those three feelings are becoming somewhat difficult to differentiate between. Then one day I got a call from the colon screening centre. They told me my appointment was coming up. Apparently the queue for routine screening is nearly two years long! For me it felt like God was in the timing.
When the time for the colonoscopy arrived, they gave me a choice about whether or not to be sedated. If I took the sedation, I’d be “legally impaired” for twenty-four hours. Since I was headed to Toronto that night and would need to drive a car, I chose to go without the sedation. I’m glad I did, because the pain/discomfort wasn’t that serious (in fact, it wasn’t as bad as the stuff I had to drink beforehand!) and I wouldn’t have heard the doctor talking to me as he proceeded. When he saw it, he said something to the effect of “yep, there’s the cancer. Looks like it’s been there a while.” Also, it was bleeding and there was enough obstruction that he couldn’t continue further down my colon. Given that we’d already been told that “early detection is key”, and that the doctor said “it’s been there a while”, and the fact that it was bleeding, and the fact that I’d had some abdominal discomfort already, we took away the impression that this was, indeed, very serious. However, it was all speculative, so I didn’t include it in the previous email – I wanted more details before I began inviting people to my funeral. J
I met with a surgeon today and he seemed quite calm about the whole thing. This is not to say it’s not serious, but he certainly gave the impression it wasn’t the death sentence we thought. In fact, the way he talked he made it sound like it might be nothing more than surgery – an oncologist might not even need to get involved. The bottom line, really, is that we’ll take it one step at a time. So, here are the next few steps.
1.
Within the next week
or so (don’t have a date/time yet), I’ll be having a CT scan. It is meant
to provide more detail on the extent of the problem, including how much of my
colon is affected, and whether or not it has spread to the liver, abdomen, or
pelvis.
2.
July 26 I go in for
surgery at Peter Lougheed Hospital. It will be done laparoscopically
(i.e. small, minimally invasive incisions), and they will remove a section of
my colon, with its blood supply and lymph nodes. I expect to be in the
hospital 3-5 days, and probably off work for about two weeks. Only about
3% of these surgeries end up with the need to have a colostomy bag for a few
months after.
3.
The piece of colon
that gets removed will be sent for pathology, where they will try to determine
if the cancer has spread. This typically takes about two weeks.
4.
If it is determined
from steps 1 or 3 that the cancer has spread, then an oncologist gets
involved. It is at this point that the possibility of chemotherapy enters
the picture.
Some of you have asked about how I’m doing/feeling. The truth is that, whereas I continue to have some abdominal discomfort, it’s not that serious – after all, I can still play hockey! J The worst symptom I’ve experienced so far is a decrease in energy and an increase in the sleep I seem to need. My appetite has gone down, too, but not precipitously. So far I haven’t lost any weight (I keep hoping, but… J). Psychologically I think I’m in a very good place, and I attribute that to God gifting me with a generally positive, optimistic view of life.
OK, I think that’s about it. I think I’ve provided pretty much as much information as I have, but if you have questions, let me know and I’ll respond as best I can.
Thanks again!
Brad.
P.S. (for those who share my faith): God is good! It has touched me how much prayer support I’ve been receiving during this time. In fact, I’ve been saying that if it went by quantity, I’d already be healed! J It is great to know that the Great Physician is guiding the physicians here, and if all else fails, has a place prepared for me! That certainly doesn’t mean I’ll give up the fight down here – I certainly want to grow old with Sue and watch my kids grow up, but the thought of meeting my Redeemer and reuniting with my parents isn’t exactly a bad one either. I simply have to quote Philippians 1:18b-26:
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that
through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has
happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that
I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as
always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to
me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body,
this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I
am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better
by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced
of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for
your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again
your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
I feel very much like Paul did
when he wrote that, even if our circumstances are somewhat different. J
Tuesday, July 09, 2013
Yep, I'm mortal!
I’ve just returned from a colonoscopy in which the doctor called what he found cancer. Apparently I’m to expect a call from a surgeon later this week. More news as it becomes available...
Brad.
Brad.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Lost!
I'll tell you what's "Lost": 6 years worth of television viewing time, FLUSHED down the drain!
Friday, November 23, 2007
Supper Conversation
A: Mom, may I make a suggestion for the next time you cook this soup?
WW: Any suggestion and you're cooking next time!
... moments later, previous conversation forgotten by most...
WW: Honey, what do you think of the soup? Be honest.
WW: Any suggestion and you're cooking next time!
... moments later, previous conversation forgotten by most...
WW: Honey, what do you think of the soup? Be honest.
Friday, August 04, 2006
Sunday, June 05, 2005
6/4/2005
From Miami I wanted to go to Tampa, but didn't want to take the freeway, and highway 41 through the Everglades looked like a good alternative. It took a while to get out of Miami that way, but that was ok.
I'd known that there was a very large Latino population in Miami, and that was certainly proven to me. I drove through sections where there were a lot of signs I couldn't read. I stopped at a Subway where I couldn't communicate with the person making my sandwich. She was an older lady, and had to keep asking someone else what I was saying.
The highway through the Everglades was very straight but bumpy. There was a wide ditch/canal alongside the road for many miles, and there were a lot of people fishing. There were also a number of places offering air boat rides, though most were closed presumably due to its being low season. At one point I stopped at a small pond beside the road for a better look. It was immediately obvious why people were fishing - the water was filled with fish. They weren't huge, but they were big enough for a meal. Also, there were plenty of alligators. I guess I should have tried to count them, but every time I tried I'd notice another one in the bushes or another one would pop up. The two other critters I saw a lot of were dragonflies and vultures.
The Everglades ended quite abruptly into a golf community. I wasn't quite at the coast yet, but when I did get to the coast I was reminded a little of Galveston: most of the houses right next to the water were on stilts. Also, this was clearly a tourist area in low season - there wasn't much activity in the shops or on the beach. I drove along the coast for quite a while, but it was fairly slow going and I began to realize I wouldn't get to Tampa at a reasonable time if I continued this. Besides, there was a feature on the map that I wanted to investigate with at least a little light left in the sky. So, I eventually headed across to the Interstate and made my way north.
The feature on the map did not disappoint. It was a spectacular bridge into St. Petersburg. I snapped a few pictures while driving, but they won't do it justice. I noticed after it was too late that there was a pier from which I'm sure I could have gotten some nice pictures.
I continued on the freeway to Tampa. Crossing the bridge from St. Petersburg across Tampa Bay to Tampa, I was reminded of the San Francisco Bay: a number of large bridges across the bay. The view of the cities, though, was less spectacular.
Immediately after hitting land again, I got off the freeway and drove around for a bit. The views weren't all that impressive in the dark, so I eventually headed for a hotel. The GPS took me on a route that was kinda weird. I was driving through an urban area, but it seemed somehow oddly deserted.
I got to my hotel around 10:00, and had to do a little more driving. I couldn't find much of interest, so I got back before midnight (!) and decided to try to catch up on some sleep. That might have been a good idea if I hadn't turned on the TV! I thought I'd drift off to sleep in front of it. I did, eventually, but that was only after a movie or two (ie. probably 4:00am)! Oh, well, the conference starts tomorrow and that will force me to start keeping better hours.
OK, it's time to head for Orlando to pick up Mark. Once again, I'm too impatient to proof-read. :-)
I'd known that there was a very large Latino population in Miami, and that was certainly proven to me. I drove through sections where there were a lot of signs I couldn't read. I stopped at a Subway where I couldn't communicate with the person making my sandwich. She was an older lady, and had to keep asking someone else what I was saying.
The highway through the Everglades was very straight but bumpy. There was a wide ditch/canal alongside the road for many miles, and there were a lot of people fishing. There were also a number of places offering air boat rides, though most were closed presumably due to its being low season. At one point I stopped at a small pond beside the road for a better look. It was immediately obvious why people were fishing - the water was filled with fish. They weren't huge, but they were big enough for a meal. Also, there were plenty of alligators. I guess I should have tried to count them, but every time I tried I'd notice another one in the bushes or another one would pop up. The two other critters I saw a lot of were dragonflies and vultures.
The Everglades ended quite abruptly into a golf community. I wasn't quite at the coast yet, but when I did get to the coast I was reminded a little of Galveston: most of the houses right next to the water were on stilts. Also, this was clearly a tourist area in low season - there wasn't much activity in the shops or on the beach. I drove along the coast for quite a while, but it was fairly slow going and I began to realize I wouldn't get to Tampa at a reasonable time if I continued this. Besides, there was a feature on the map that I wanted to investigate with at least a little light left in the sky. So, I eventually headed across to the Interstate and made my way north.
The feature on the map did not disappoint. It was a spectacular bridge into St. Petersburg. I snapped a few pictures while driving, but they won't do it justice. I noticed after it was too late that there was a pier from which I'm sure I could have gotten some nice pictures.
I continued on the freeway to Tampa. Crossing the bridge from St. Petersburg across Tampa Bay to Tampa, I was reminded of the San Francisco Bay: a number of large bridges across the bay. The view of the cities, though, was less spectacular.
Immediately after hitting land again, I got off the freeway and drove around for a bit. The views weren't all that impressive in the dark, so I eventually headed for a hotel. The GPS took me on a route that was kinda weird. I was driving through an urban area, but it seemed somehow oddly deserted.
I got to my hotel around 10:00, and had to do a little more driving. I couldn't find much of interest, so I got back before midnight (!) and decided to try to catch up on some sleep. That might have been a good idea if I hadn't turned on the TV! I thought I'd drift off to sleep in front of it. I did, eventually, but that was only after a movie or two (ie. probably 4:00am)! Oh, well, the conference starts tomorrow and that will force me to start keeping better hours.
OK, it's time to head for Orlando to pick up Mark. Once again, I'm too impatient to proof-read. :-)
Saturday, June 04, 2005
6/3/2005
I woke up in Key West, Florida - cool! Before heading back north, I decided to drive around a little more, making a stop at the "southernmost part of the continental US" and taking a documentation picture.
Here are just a couple of miscellaneous observations about Key West. There are a lot of morning doves (or is that mourning - I never did figure that out), and I enjoy the sound they make. There are scooters everywhere! At this time of year, at least today and for me, the heat together with the humidity is almost unbearable. I'm sure I'd get used to it quickly, but.... Here in southern Florida they keep talking about "hurricane season", which apparently started June 1. I saw a lot of large birds that I couldn't identify - terns, maybe? They have long, split tails.
On the way back to Miami, I took a different route and discovered a road that appears to me to be completely useless. Highway 905A (aka Card Sound Rd) is significantly longer than staying on highway 1. It's not particularly scenic, doesn't appear to connect anything of significance, and I saw absolutely no homes, businesses, nor development of any kind along it. What's more, it's a toll road! There's probably a good reason for its existence, but I haven't figured it out.
I made a little detour into the Everglades National Park, but didn't do it justice due to my lack of time. I then headed into Miami. I made a stop at a shopping mall for some clothes, getting that necessity out of the way.
Shortly after starting into Miami my driving bug hit in a big way. As is my habit, I try to stick fairly close to the coast, and it paid off in Miami. The pleasure of the road had nothing to do with the coast, though. Ingraham Highway (that's what my mapping software called it, though it was called something else on all the signs - I never did see a sign with Ingraham Highway on it) went for miles through a tunnel of trees. They were large trees that formed a complete canopy overhead. Nestled in amongst the trees were, of course, opulent homes.
Eventually I got to South Bayshore Drive. Roughly at the intersection was a neat shopping/dining/nightlife area. A section of South Bayshore Drive was closed off - something about George Bush coming for a visit - sheesh!
I continued on my way along South Miami Avenue, and took a side trip through Key Biscayne - more opulent homes. However, the best part of this was that there was a little park just off the road that provided some incredible views of downtown Miami. The views were spectacular, but not something my digital camera did a good job of capturing. The spot reminded me a lot of the spot on Treasure Island that provides such a nice view of San Francisco.
I took another side trip to Brickell Key - wow! Hotels that I'm sure I won't be affording in this lifetime!
I then drove around downtown Miami a little, before heading for Miami Beach. Yep, Miami Beach is the art deco area that you see a lot of in movies and TV (lots on "Miami Vice", as I recall). It was very cool! I think most of Miami was on Ocean Drive for the nightlife. Given more time and my lovely wife, I would certainly have enjoyed that part of town for longer. There were a lot of street-side restaurants with live music. Many of the performances were outside, right next to the street. I'm not good at describing the fun it is even just to drive through areas like that.
In Miami Beach there were more homes and boats that blew my mind. There are times when I simply can't understand where all the rich people come from. I don't know if I've ever even met a person that could afford some of these homes or boats! And yet the world seems full of them.
It was getting to be around 10pm and I had neither eaten nor found a hotel, and I was getting quite hungry. I stumbled on a Burger King that was still open, and got some food. That's me - drive past all those nice restaurants and eat at Burger King - what's that about?!?! I finally found a hotel I could afford, and checked in just after midnight. However, Miami at night had me, so I went driving some more after that. Eventually I realized that there was a checkOUT time awaiting me, and I'd better get a little sleep first.
As with almost all of the trips in my life, there is simply not nearly enough time to do them justice, and I find places I'd love to come back to sometime. I am finding on this trip, though, that a lot of the things I'm seeing I'd really like to share with my wife and/or kids! Oh, well, maybe next time. :-)
Anyway, they're trying to chase me out of my hotel room again, and I want to get on the road. L8r!
P.S. I'm too impatient to proof-read this, so please forgive any spelling or grammar mistakes.
Here are just a couple of miscellaneous observations about Key West. There are a lot of morning doves (or is that mourning - I never did figure that out), and I enjoy the sound they make. There are scooters everywhere! At this time of year, at least today and for me, the heat together with the humidity is almost unbearable. I'm sure I'd get used to it quickly, but.... Here in southern Florida they keep talking about "hurricane season", which apparently started June 1. I saw a lot of large birds that I couldn't identify - terns, maybe? They have long, split tails.
On the way back to Miami, I took a different route and discovered a road that appears to me to be completely useless. Highway 905A (aka Card Sound Rd) is significantly longer than staying on highway 1. It's not particularly scenic, doesn't appear to connect anything of significance, and I saw absolutely no homes, businesses, nor development of any kind along it. What's more, it's a toll road! There's probably a good reason for its existence, but I haven't figured it out.
I made a little detour into the Everglades National Park, but didn't do it justice due to my lack of time. I then headed into Miami. I made a stop at a shopping mall for some clothes, getting that necessity out of the way.
Shortly after starting into Miami my driving bug hit in a big way. As is my habit, I try to stick fairly close to the coast, and it paid off in Miami. The pleasure of the road had nothing to do with the coast, though. Ingraham Highway (that's what my mapping software called it, though it was called something else on all the signs - I never did see a sign with Ingraham Highway on it) went for miles through a tunnel of trees. They were large trees that formed a complete canopy overhead. Nestled in amongst the trees were, of course, opulent homes.
Eventually I got to South Bayshore Drive. Roughly at the intersection was a neat shopping/dining/nightlife area. A section of South Bayshore Drive was closed off - something about George Bush coming for a visit - sheesh!
I continued on my way along South Miami Avenue, and took a side trip through Key Biscayne - more opulent homes. However, the best part of this was that there was a little park just off the road that provided some incredible views of downtown Miami. The views were spectacular, but not something my digital camera did a good job of capturing. The spot reminded me a lot of the spot on Treasure Island that provides such a nice view of San Francisco.
I took another side trip to Brickell Key - wow! Hotels that I'm sure I won't be affording in this lifetime!
I then drove around downtown Miami a little, before heading for Miami Beach. Yep, Miami Beach is the art deco area that you see a lot of in movies and TV (lots on "Miami Vice", as I recall). It was very cool! I think most of Miami was on Ocean Drive for the nightlife. Given more time and my lovely wife, I would certainly have enjoyed that part of town for longer. There were a lot of street-side restaurants with live music. Many of the performances were outside, right next to the street. I'm not good at describing the fun it is even just to drive through areas like that.
In Miami Beach there were more homes and boats that blew my mind. There are times when I simply can't understand where all the rich people come from. I don't know if I've ever even met a person that could afford some of these homes or boats! And yet the world seems full of them.
It was getting to be around 10pm and I had neither eaten nor found a hotel, and I was getting quite hungry. I stumbled on a Burger King that was still open, and got some food. That's me - drive past all those nice restaurants and eat at Burger King - what's that about?!?! I finally found a hotel I could afford, and checked in just after midnight. However, Miami at night had me, so I went driving some more after that. Eventually I realized that there was a checkOUT time awaiting me, and I'd better get a little sleep first.
As with almost all of the trips in my life, there is simply not nearly enough time to do them justice, and I find places I'd love to come back to sometime. I am finding on this trip, though, that a lot of the things I'm seeing I'd really like to share with my wife and/or kids! Oh, well, maybe next time. :-)
Anyway, they're trying to chase me out of my hotel room again, and I want to get on the road. L8r!
P.S. I'm too impatient to proof-read this, so please forgive any spelling or grammar mistakes.
Friday, June 03, 2005
6/2/2005
After getting far too late a start (see below), I was stuck in Miami traffic for a couple of hours. I finally made it to the Overseas Highway. It was not quite what I expected. (I guess I don't know my geography as well as I thought! :-) Whereas I thought it was a very long set of bridges punctuated by islands, the islands make up a much greater part of the trip. In fact, of the 126 mile distance, there are 42 bridges that only make up 18.8 miles (about 15%).
Anyway, there were a lot of places I'd like to spend more time, but I'm on a quest to see all of southern Florida in just a few days! Besides, the weather wasn't particularly nice. It was POURING to the point of slowing traffic to a crawl for a while, especially just after Key Largo. They were talking on the radio about flood warnings, and it's apparent that they've already had more rain recently than normal. There's a lot of water laying around.
Noteworthy during the drive were many beautiful flowering trees, the greenery, and the mangrove swamps. Also, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the transition between the mainland and the Overseas Highway was a bit of a surprise to me. There were miles of unoccupied, low-lying land in between.
I guess I'm just not in the picture-taking space right now. I don't seem to find many photo opportunities. Anyway, the drive over all those bridges was still enjoyable.
I eventually made it to Key West, renowned for its sunsets. Despite all the rain, the sun did peek out for a nice sunset. Unfortunately, I'd been dawdling, and hadn't found the perfect spot in time. Also, unlike our Calgary sunsets at this time of year, it didn't last long. I'm clearly further south: the sun goes down very quickly, and darkness descends almost immediately.
As is my habit, I drove around until all hours of the night. Key West reminded me a lot of some of the other places we'd seen last time we were in the south. There were plenty of old, Victorian-style homes. Duval Street was interesting, with lots of tourist activity and the requisite fancy shops, candy stores, small galleries, and bars. I don't know how common it is here, but, with the exception of Calgary's Red Mile during the last playoff run, it's certainly something we don't see in Canada: three girls with beautifully painted breasts (i.e. no tops) wandering the street. Between that, the "clothing optional" bar, and the transvestite entertainment bar, it ain't downtown Calgary!
For those of you that didn't know, I'm a confirmed night-owl. I drive around until all hours, get back to my hotel way too late, watch the comedy channel for an hour or two, and finally drift off to sleep wishing I could stay up even later but knowing that morning is coming. Then, in the morning I struggle to get out of the hotel before checkout. This trip I've added another activity in the morning: this blogging thing. By far the hardest thing about that is my impatience. I want to get moving! Still, I guess I owe it to posterity and the ones I love to let them know what's happening in my life.
More tomorrow (if I can curb my impatience)!
Anyway, there were a lot of places I'd like to spend more time, but I'm on a quest to see all of southern Florida in just a few days! Besides, the weather wasn't particularly nice. It was POURING to the point of slowing traffic to a crawl for a while, especially just after Key Largo. They were talking on the radio about flood warnings, and it's apparent that they've already had more rain recently than normal. There's a lot of water laying around.
Noteworthy during the drive were many beautiful flowering trees, the greenery, and the mangrove swamps. Also, I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the transition between the mainland and the Overseas Highway was a bit of a surprise to me. There were miles of unoccupied, low-lying land in between.
I guess I'm just not in the picture-taking space right now. I don't seem to find many photo opportunities. Anyway, the drive over all those bridges was still enjoyable.
I eventually made it to Key West, renowned for its sunsets. Despite all the rain, the sun did peek out for a nice sunset. Unfortunately, I'd been dawdling, and hadn't found the perfect spot in time. Also, unlike our Calgary sunsets at this time of year, it didn't last long. I'm clearly further south: the sun goes down very quickly, and darkness descends almost immediately.
As is my habit, I drove around until all hours of the night. Key West reminded me a lot of some of the other places we'd seen last time we were in the south. There were plenty of old, Victorian-style homes. Duval Street was interesting, with lots of tourist activity and the requisite fancy shops, candy stores, small galleries, and bars. I don't know how common it is here, but, with the exception of Calgary's Red Mile during the last playoff run, it's certainly something we don't see in Canada: three girls with beautifully painted breasts (i.e. no tops) wandering the street. Between that, the "clothing optional" bar, and the transvestite entertainment bar, it ain't downtown Calgary!
For those of you that didn't know, I'm a confirmed night-owl. I drive around until all hours, get back to my hotel way too late, watch the comedy channel for an hour or two, and finally drift off to sleep wishing I could stay up even later but knowing that morning is coming. Then, in the morning I struggle to get out of the hotel before checkout. This trip I've added another activity in the morning: this blogging thing. By far the hardest thing about that is my impatience. I want to get moving! Still, I guess I owe it to posterity and the ones I love to let them know what's happening in my life.
More tomorrow (if I can curb my impatience)!
Thursday, June 02, 2005
6/1/2005
After getting up FAR too early, I caught my flight just fine. Fortunately for me, it was cloudy most of the way down, so I didn't have to stay glued to the window - I was able to sleep a little.
The first step out of the airport in Orlando was like we've experienced a few places: a little like stepping into a sauna. Ok, that's a poor description, since it wasn't too hot or anything. It's just that, after coming from the very dry air of Calgary, stepping into the humid, fragrant air closer to the tropics is still a treat!
My time in Florida began a little poorly. I had rented a car from Alamo, and they appear to be taking over the car rental business. With all the car rental desks in the airport, the only one with a lineup was Alamo, and their lineup was RIDICULOUS! (Minor rant: why, even after providing all of your information in the reservation request, do places like car rentals and hotels still have to type into their keyboards for half an hour before giving you what your reserved?!?)
I eventually got through the lineup and went to get my car. I was happy because the cars were at the airport, and I didn't have to take a shuttle. However, that meant a long walk. Alamo just sends you into their parking lot to pick out a car. Well, when I got there, there were no cars left in the class I'd reserved. I made the trek back to the desk, and they told me to try the National cars (I guess they're connected). I made the trek again, and there was exactly one car left - a really boring looking white Cavalier. I took the car and made my way out of the parking lot. Once outside the parking lot, I plugged my laptop into the cigarette lighter so that I could use my GPS to navigate. Well, the cigarette lighter didn't work, and I didn't really want to spend all my time here looking at maps, so I turned around and went back. Now there were NO cars left, and two of us were looking for compact cars. The attendant had us wait while he tracked down cars. Eventually he came back with two set of keys. I got a beige Impala, and the other guy got a PT Cruiser. I tried to trade him, but he wouldn't go for it. :-( Oh, well, the Impala's not bad.
My first day of driving around Florida was actually a little less exciting than I'd anticipated. Being a prairie boy, I instinctively headed for the nearest coast, which from Orlando is Cape Canaveral. I decided not to go to the Kennedy Space Center, since I wanted to spend more time there than I had left that day, and I wanted to get to Miami so that I could start for Key West Thursday. I did, however, see it in the distance from one of the bridges I crossed. About the same time, I also saw a flock of flamingos flying over, and I knew I wasn't in Canada anymore! :-)
East of Orlando, on the coast, there are a number of long, skinny islands running parallel to the coast. I decided to drive down these on highway A1A. There were two things that were particularly noteworthy: the damage that remained from the last hurricane, and the storm shutters on all the apartment buildings. The hurricane damage wasn't necessarily huge, but it seemed to be everywhere. It was the kind of thing I couldn't really capture with a picture, but I did get a picture of apartment buildings with storm shutters (coming later).
The length of the islands alternated between opulent areas, with fancy homes on one side of the road and golf courses on the other, mixed with more run-down areas. It didn't really grab me all that much, and I didn't get much for pictures. It was nice enough, but not spectacular like, for example, the 17 Mile Drive in California.
I drove down A1A until after dark, and then headed back to the freeway to get to Miami. When I don't have a navigator beside me (thanks Sue! :-), a GPS certainly is a great help.
The rest of that day is relatively un-noteworthy, and I want to hit the road. I'm sitting in a hotel lobby typing this, and even though the weather outside looks miserable (raining and very windy), I still want to get out there.
Unfortunately, the ribs I injured last weekend are bothering me a little more. I still don't think it's anything serious (or that a doctor could fix - I understand they don't do much with cracked ribs), but if I were in Canada, I'd probably go get an X-ray just for confirmation. Oh, well, a little pain never hurt nobody! :-)
The first step out of the airport in Orlando was like we've experienced a few places: a little like stepping into a sauna. Ok, that's a poor description, since it wasn't too hot or anything. It's just that, after coming from the very dry air of Calgary, stepping into the humid, fragrant air closer to the tropics is still a treat!
My time in Florida began a little poorly. I had rented a car from Alamo, and they appear to be taking over the car rental business. With all the car rental desks in the airport, the only one with a lineup was Alamo, and their lineup was RIDICULOUS! (Minor rant: why, even after providing all of your information in the reservation request, do places like car rentals and hotels still have to type into their keyboards for half an hour before giving you what your reserved?!?)
I eventually got through the lineup and went to get my car. I was happy because the cars were at the airport, and I didn't have to take a shuttle. However, that meant a long walk. Alamo just sends you into their parking lot to pick out a car. Well, when I got there, there were no cars left in the class I'd reserved. I made the trek back to the desk, and they told me to try the National cars (I guess they're connected). I made the trek again, and there was exactly one car left - a really boring looking white Cavalier. I took the car and made my way out of the parking lot. Once outside the parking lot, I plugged my laptop into the cigarette lighter so that I could use my GPS to navigate. Well, the cigarette lighter didn't work, and I didn't really want to spend all my time here looking at maps, so I turned around and went back. Now there were NO cars left, and two of us were looking for compact cars. The attendant had us wait while he tracked down cars. Eventually he came back with two set of keys. I got a beige Impala, and the other guy got a PT Cruiser. I tried to trade him, but he wouldn't go for it. :-( Oh, well, the Impala's not bad.
My first day of driving around Florida was actually a little less exciting than I'd anticipated. Being a prairie boy, I instinctively headed for the nearest coast, which from Orlando is Cape Canaveral. I decided not to go to the Kennedy Space Center, since I wanted to spend more time there than I had left that day, and I wanted to get to Miami so that I could start for Key West Thursday. I did, however, see it in the distance from one of the bridges I crossed. About the same time, I also saw a flock of flamingos flying over, and I knew I wasn't in Canada anymore! :-)
East of Orlando, on the coast, there are a number of long, skinny islands running parallel to the coast. I decided to drive down these on highway A1A. There were two things that were particularly noteworthy: the damage that remained from the last hurricane, and the storm shutters on all the apartment buildings. The hurricane damage wasn't necessarily huge, but it seemed to be everywhere. It was the kind of thing I couldn't really capture with a picture, but I did get a picture of apartment buildings with storm shutters (coming later).
The length of the islands alternated between opulent areas, with fancy homes on one side of the road and golf courses on the other, mixed with more run-down areas. It didn't really grab me all that much, and I didn't get much for pictures. It was nice enough, but not spectacular like, for example, the 17 Mile Drive in California.
I drove down A1A until after dark, and then headed back to the freeway to get to Miami. When I don't have a navigator beside me (thanks Sue! :-), a GPS certainly is a great help.
The rest of that day is relatively un-noteworthy, and I want to hit the road. I'm sitting in a hotel lobby typing this, and even though the weather outside looks miserable (raining and very windy), I still want to get out there.
Unfortunately, the ribs I injured last weekend are bothering me a little more. I still don't think it's anything serious (or that a doctor could fix - I understand they don't do much with cracked ribs), but if I were in Canada, I'd probably go get an X-ray just for confirmation. Oh, well, a little pain never hurt nobody! :-)
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